Did You Know What Boardsplaining Is? – Here’s How to Avoid It

You’ve probably come across the concept of mansplaining. According to Wikipedia, mansplaining is when someone comments or explains something in a condescending, simplistic, and overly confident manner, assuming they know more than the person they’re speaking to. A relative of mansplaining is richsplaining, where the well-off advise the less fortunate on how to live.

Fortunately, I haven’t encountered much mansplaining or richsplaining. However, these concepts feel familiar when I reflect on my experiences with over 15 company boards.

“Yes, growth is important.”

“We must remember the importance of employee satisfaction.”

“It’s necessary to improve profitability.”

“We need to invest in our competitive advantage.”

“We must not forget customer satisfaction.”

Have you ever been in a board meeting and heard any of the above statements? If so, you may have witnessed boardsplaining.

Boardsplaining occurs when a board member explains things to the operational management that are obvious, incorrect, or impossible. Asking questions in the meeting about simple matters that are clearly presented in the board materials can also be considered boardsplaining.

The conditions for boardsplaining to appear are favorable if a board member thinks the value of their board work is directly proportional to the number of speeches they give, comes to the meeting unprepared, or simply thinks they are above the operational management.

Don’t want to be a boardsplainer? Here are some tips to avoid boardsplaining and ensure you create real value:

(1) Before you join a company’s board, find out the company’s situation and the expectations for your board work. Ensure you genuinely have something to contribute to the board.

(2) Prepare thoroughly for meetings and allocate enough time to review the materials. When you deeply understand the materials and combine this knowledge with your expertise and past experiences, you can provide insightful new perspectives that truly benefit the company.

(3) Remember, you have two ears and one mouth. The value of board members to a company isn’t proportional to how much they fill the airspace with their talk during meetings. Often, you create the most value by quietly listening to others, refraining from interrupting, and only then sharing your considered viewpoints.

(4) Before you speak, consider how your question or comment will sound from the operational management’s perspective. Remember, from the distance of the boardroom, things often seem simpler and easier than they really are in the hustle and bustle of operational activities.

(5) Thanks or praise shared during a meeting costs nothing. They are often much more effective tools for motivating the company than a critical comment or question directed at the management.

This text has been published in the Finnish language in Kauppalehti on 30 October 2023.